101st participates in youth center opening

CJTF7 ^ | Dec. 29, 2003

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

CJTF-7 Public Affairs
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Release #031228d

101st participates in youth center opening

TALLAFAR, Iraq – Leaders from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Tallafar Youth Center today in northern Iraq.
 

In attendance at the ceremony was Col. Michael Linnington, commander, 3rd Brigade, 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the Mayor and Chief of Police of Tallafar, and Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the 101st.

“(This) is clearly a great day for Tallafar and the youth of Tallafar,” Petraeus said to the audience during his remarks. “(We are) proud to be partners with you all in rebuilding Iraq and hope to continue that in the months ahead.”

The 1st Battalion of the 187th Infantry Regiment spearheaded the refurbishing of the youth center. Using $50,000 from the Commander’s Emergency Relief Fund, the soldiers hired and supervised local contractors and workers to rebuild the center in less then half a year.

“It took about five months,” said 2nd Lt. Elias Donker, B company fire support officer.

The building was so damaged following the fall of the Hussein regime that it had to be almost entirely rebuilt from the ground up.

“It was looted, burned, and the windows were busted, it was in bad shape,” Donker said. “(The workers) fixed floors and walls and put in new ceilings and windows. I mean this place was just a shell.”

After the rebuilding was complete the soldiers had to find equipment to put inside it. To get the equipment, they needed money. Again, the leaders of the 101st stepped in and handed over $50,000 to buy sports equipment and other supplies, Donker said.

Included in the activities offered at the youth center are 10 ping-pong tables, a basket ball court, a full-size lighted soccer field and a multimedia center with computers, color printers and six televisions, four of which are dedicated to video games.

The money also helped to build a cafeteria with a complete kitchen, and purchase a generator to supply power to the building, Donker said.
The youth center will be available to all the children of Tallafar, male and female, ages six to 18.

“To see it open is a meaningful thing,” Donker said. “It means a lot to me. I think this youth center will be helping the kids long after we leave.”

[EggsAckley]

If this were California, they'd still be bogged down with environmental studies and reports.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

TALLAFAR, Iraq – Leaders from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Tallafar Youth Center today in northern Iraq.

“(This) is clearly a great day for Tallafar and the youth of Tallafar,” Petraeus said to the audience during his remarks. “(We are) proud to be partners with you all in rebuilding Iraq and hope to continue that in the months ahead.”

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Ping-pong, basket ball, soccer, multimedia center with computers and televisions...a cafeteria, open to boys and girls.

Screaming Eagles, ping!
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If you want on or off my Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

[blackie]

Screaming Eagles ~ Bump!

[whizzer]

America-doing what it does better than any other nation in the world.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[McGavin999]

Isn't it amazing that the soldiers have really taken to the whole school thing. All over Iraq, that's what most of the soldiers have chosen for their projects.

Whoever decided to give these commanders cash funds was totally brilliant!

[speekinout]

Whoever decided to give these commanders cash funds was totally brilliant!

That was just one of several brilliant decisions made in this conflict. Two others that come to mind are embedding reporters, and giving full authority to the commanders in the field.
And of course, many of those local commanders made brilliant decisions themselves.

[windchime]

Bump!